The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-07-07
rwO GLE Gus BANDS MEET.
The Canton Circus Meets Tough Oppos
tion At OIL City.
[From the On City perriok.l

luck this week takes the shape Of two
clrcuses playing within our borders at
the same time. And they are ten cent
shows too. It Will be seen, therefore,
that the gods are especially kind to us.
Menches q Barber have pitched their
tents BY the green fields and sweet
waters Of the South Side, while Scrib-
ner u Clements are located on the his.
t0ric fats above the city, on the North
SIDE. While the river flows peacefully
between the white tents OF these rival
shows there Is nothing to prevent their
respective brass bands coming together
when they are on the street firing our
people with circus enthusiasm, These
bands came together last evening at
sandown, at the intersection of senaca
| aud Centre streets, and lol the memory
OF It Will linger with US until time
snail 0e no more, or even until oil shall
reach the dollar mark. None Of our
citizens are able to describe Just how 1t
happened, as the first intimation any
one had OF the impending trouble the
Two bands we're front to front In the
middle OF the square between the Oil
Exchange and National Bank, blowing
d. fance and Indifferent music at each
other. One band was uniformed In red 4,
the conspicuous part Of the dress Of the
other being q long linen duster. There
they stood, red coat against linen dus.
ter, and the sun accelerated Its pace to
get behind the western hills. When
the marching minstrels came together
the red coats were playing when the
Swallows H0meward Fly" and the
linen busters were agitatlng the atmos.
phere with when Johnny. Comes
Marching Home" Front to front they
came; neither would move to the right
or the left for the other, and SO both
stopped stock still, glared at each other
over the top Of their music and blew
away as II this was the last chance tn ~
would have to blow on earth. The
notes OF Johnny marching home, and
the swallows flight to the p1ternal nest
came fast and faster until they were
crowded together like dried apples on
string. Talk about the determined
front OF two armies, but 1t was nothing
compared with these two circus bands
sanding there In grim and awful fury
laying each other alive, as IL were. with
their deadly wind and brass, "Pour It
INTO 'em!" yelled the leader of the Red
Coats TO- his determined warriors. "Give
'eW grape and camisterf' shrieked the
OF man at the head Of the Linen Dus.
eIs. Then began the tug of war.
Johnny never before marched at such a
daud 9. gait, and the swallows were
several times carried of their feet In
ne attempt to save their distance. The
ltjz ms began to pour into the square,
and soon the streets were packed either
way as far as the eye could reach.
Windows were thrown up and filed
With humanity, and telegraph poles
we're utilized by the agile small boy.
Still louder blared the brass and the
1asa drums doomed out their defiance
until the horses In MeGuigan &
5tubler's livery stable got to kicking.
| The crowd swelled apace and the music
screamed out i1 one mad riot. Johnny'e
lomeward march had now developed
ntO q race for life, and the swallows
lad to leg 1t to keep In sight. John
Reinb0Id said he had been at band tour
laments In Germany when beer was
kreitzer 8 keg, but he never saw aught
10 equal this. n. Geary said his boiler
works In full blast were q dream OF SOL
emn silence and solitude compared to 1t
The crimson sky changed to blue be.
l cause the bands blew 80. The air was
lR1tated for seven miles up the creek,
aud Ed. Clapp teleph0ned down from
President to find out what was chasing
the fish up the river. The Linen Duster
man with the big horn had 1t pointed
.owaId HassOn's la k, and blew the Gilt
etters off the plate glass windows. The
wingiDg signs up and down street be
ian to cresk and grORn like spirits In
orment, and Tom Kane, seeing de
nand for oil, stepped out on the curb
aud bid an eighth above the market for
thousand. 1t Is needless to say he got
t. The cymbsls clashed until the air
asted of brass, while the sheep
kin on the snare drums emitted
an Odor ike burnt mutton. chops. Wesley
(hambers and Charley Duncan came
tcketyswitch In their carriages from
he South Side, and Immediately took
ides with the Red Coats because they
epP scented the circus that was on their
side OF the river. George Lewis and
Tom Simpson at once elb0wed their way
to the side Of the Linen Busters, be.
cause they represented the circus on
this side Of the river. "Hurrah for the
Red Goats and the circus on our sldel"
Yelled John B. Smithman, and he swung
MS white plug above his head. The
'heers we're given with q will. "HurrRh
tor the Linen Busters and the circus on
the halsp' screamed Lawyer McNair,
and this sentiment was also loudly
cheered. And still the blare of brass
went on, and railroad trains ran shrek
Ing through the town without the rat.
le of wheel or the whisper Of a whls.
lie being heard. The world seemed
coming to an end In one wild symphony
If wall. There were sad features con-
1cc'ed with this affair, and the
most melancholy, perhaps, was to
'ee our eitiz ms who had been
fast friends and neighbors all
heir lives breaking Ito two
factions, the South Slders against the
North Slders, and with look upon their
countenances which meant that they
would stand by their respective cir
Gus 8 until the world should roll to-
Gsther 40 q scroll and chaos come again.
Here thin man with bass drum fell
from utter exhaustion. The drum rolled
over on top Of him and hattened him
out like book mark. He was q Linen
Duster and was quickly carried of the
field. DR.. Rltchey was summoned and
announced that the poor man had con-
fusion Of the brain ard would die I'M.
less the music stopped. Here Red
Coat fell In the ranks, pierced through
and through by blast from the from.
bone. At this point Constable McG irvey
came dashinR down the street, and
mounting the steps Of the Oil Exchange
read the riot act TO the mad and muir.
derOus minstrsls and their fast gather.
Ing allies. Hs announced that hA had
lately been appointed agent Of the Hu-
name Society, and shook his commission
at the crowd, signed By Judge TAYLOR.